Digital Law

Definition

• The legal rights and restrictions governing technology use

Important Information

• Issues of intellectual property rights and copyright protection are real and have very real consquences

Essential Questions

• Are students using technology the way it was intended?
• Are students infringing on others' rights by the way they use technology?
• Should students using digital technologies be accountable for how they use digital technologies?

Digital Law Issues

• Using file-sharing sites
• Pirating software
• Subverting Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies
• Hacking into systems or networks
• Stealing someone's identity

Examples of Illegal Technology Use

• Students download copyrighted must from file-sharing sites
• Students create copies of copyrighted movies for their friends

Examples of Legal Technology Use

• Students understand what can be downloaded for free and what is considered copyrighted material and should be paid for.
• Students do not share copyrighted material (such as software) with others.

Resources

• Free Expression Policy Project - Media Literacy: An Alternative to Censorship
• Internet Law - Law Research
• Technology and Ethics
• U.S. Department of Justice - Computer Crime & Intellectual Property